Improved machine for cutting laths



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PACKARD, OFv GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVED MACHINE FR CUTTING LATHS.

Specification forming part of lLetters Patent No. 10,556, dated February 2l, 1834.

Figure l is a front elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the horizontal and vertical cutters, and also of the carriage, those upper parts of the machine which are shown in Fig. 2 being omitted in this view. Fig. 4 is a front view of the horizontal cutters.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-A sponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a new and improved machine for cutting laths; and it consists in the employment or use of a series of reciprocating horizontal cutters and a reciprocating vertical cutter, arranged and operating as will be hereinafter fully shown.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the frame of the machine, in

which two upright ways or guides B B are secured, having a frame or sash C Working between them, said frame or sash containing a knife or cutter D placed obliquely in it, as shown in Fig. l.

E, Figs. l and 2, is a connecting-rod, the lower end of which is secured by a pivot a to the upper cross-piece of the frame or sash C. The upper.end of the connecting-rod is attached to a crank F on afhorizontal shaft G, said shaft having its bearings b on the upper part of the frame A.

The frame A is provided with two horizontal bed-rails H H, which are placed longitudinally in the frame ata proper height.

On these bed-rails H l-I is placed a lever-frame or toggle-joint, which gives motion to a series of cutters I, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) in which J J J J represent four levers, .the two levers J J being connected to the two levers J J by pivots c c, which pass through a cross-piece K, detached from the frame A. The outer ends of the two levers J J are secured by pivotsk d d in a stationary cross-piece L, secured t0 the frame A, and the outer ends of Y the levers J J are secured by pivots e c in a stock M, which is detachedl from the frame A and contains the knives or cutters I, as shown clearly in Fig. et. The knives or cutters I are placed longitudinally in the stock M and parallel to each other, the spaces between the knives or cutters corresponding to the desired width of the laths to be out. The cross-piece K is connected by a link f to an upright lever O, having its fulcrum at g. The upper end of the lever O is connected by a connectingrod P to a crank R at one end of the shaft G. (See Figs. l and 2.)

S is a carriage, to which the log or block is secured from which the laths are cut. The

log or block X (see dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3) is secured to the inner end of the carriage said pinions being on a shaft W, on one end l of which a ratchet-wheel Y is hung.

Z is a pawl, one end of which catches into or against the teeth of the ratchet Y. The opposite end of the pawl Z is connected to a rock-shaft A', which receives its motion by means of a lever B', connected to the rockshaft and frame or sash C. (Seen in Fig. 2.)

Operation: The log or block to be. cut into laths is secured by the dog or clutch T to the inner end of the carriage S, and motion is given to the several parts by the revolving of the shaft G. The crank F on the shaft G gives a reciprocating motion to the knife or cutter D, and the crank R, by means of the lever O, operates upon the cross-piece K and gives a horizontal reciprocating motion to the lknives or cutters I. The feed motion is communicated to the carriage S by means of the pawl Z, operated by the rock-shaft A', which receives motion by means of the lever B. The cutters I are vforced horizontally into the log or block X to the requisite depth by the levers J J J J', and the knife or cutter D, as it descends, cuts off a piece from the log or block corresponding in width to the depth the cutters I entered the log or block, and consequently the pieces cut off from the log or block at eachstroke of the knife or cutter D are laths of the required thickness and width,

the feed motion of the carriage S being so regulated as to feed the log or block X at each stroke of the knife or cutter D to the required distance to equal the desired thickness of the laths, and the knives or cutterslpenetrating the 10g or block horizontally a distance equal to the desired Width of the laths.

The above-described machine will cut an immense number of laths in a short space of time, and will out them from every variety of wood, and will operate favorably in cases in which the ordinary sawing-machines work imperfectly. Slabs and refuse stuff may be cut into laths with the greatest facility.

The machine is simple, not liable to get out of repair, and is not expensive to manufacture.

I do not claim, separately, the knife D work- CHARLES F. PACKARD.

'Vitnesses:

S. H. WALES, HENRY DEXTER. 

